What Family's For
by Ada C. Eliana
Summary: Because sometimes it takes a ghost, a traumatized youth, and two wellmeaning cousins to remind you of what you knew all along. Chris, Wyatt, Lena
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a five-part story to show the relationship between Lena, Chris, and Wyatt from my Repercussions storyline. A lot of people write about Chris and Wyatt's generation as basically normal kids having a good time and demon hunting on the weekends, but considering how much just plain bad stuff went on in the Charmed TV show in 8 years, I can't imagine their lives would be anywhere near normal. This of course takes place before Repercussions, and deletes Charmed history after season 6.**

**Please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed, just everything here that you do not recognize.**

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Summary: Because sometimes it takes a ghost, a traumatized youth, and two well-meaning cousins to remind you of what you knew all along. Chris, Wyatt, Lena

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What Family's For**

By: Ada C. Eliana

Chapter One

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_There are times when I'm just a shell  
When I do not feel anything for anyone  
All I feel is hollow and bruised  
Used up and misused_

- "Darkest Days" Stabbing Westward

"Lena! Don't you walk away from me!" Wyatt shouted, chasing his fourteen-year-old cousin down the stairs of the Halliwell Manor. She was whipping down them as fast as she could, and Wyatt would've orbed but he was too steamed to use magic right now. Instead he jumped down a few steps and grabbed her arm hard, spinning her around to face him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" he demanded. She pulled, trying to break his grip on her right arm but he held tighter, ignoring the soft gasp of pain that the gesture inflicted.

"It's none of your business, Wy!" she shouted back, sinking her fingernails into his forearm. It did little; Lena kept her nails short because of training and so was not able to hurt him.

He grabbed onto her left arm as well, shaking her slightly as he spoke. "You getting yourself killed _is _my business!"

"Oh get the fuck over yourself," she shouted, breaking the family edict on not using magic on each other when she applied fire to his hands. He winced and relaxed his hold, all he needed to do to give her an opening. She wrenched her arms free and flipped him onto the floor. Then proceeded to storm out in a huff. "And stay away from me!" she shouted as she left.

* * *

"Trouble with your golden boy cousin again?" Tiffany asked, puffing on a cigarette. The end charred and she released the smoke slowly.

"Yeah, he's such a prick sometimes," Lena sighed. Tiffany jammed the cigarette against the block wall they were sitting on and then put another in her mouth.

"You mind?" she asked, turning to Lena. Lena shrugged and held a finger out, lighting the white stick for her. "Thanks." Tiffany had bleach blonde hair that was continually in her face. It was cut in jagged lines and hung over her bright green eyes. She pulled at the hoodie she was wearing, all black with derogatory patches on it and then turned to look at the bright red hand-marks on Lena's arms again. "You should tell your mom about that, she'd go ballistic on his ass."

"But then he'd tell her what I've been up to, and I don't want that either," Lena answered. She rubbed at the marks angrily. "No way I can go around with these though. Tyler!" she called. The orbs coalesced into her young-looking whitelighter almost immediately. "Hey, can you heal my arms, please?" she asked.

Tyler grimaced as he looked at the bruises. "What happened here?"

"Family rivalry, you know how it goes," Lena sighed. He healed it and she sighed in relief as the warmth flooded through her.

"What are you two up to?" Tyler asked suspiciously, surveying Tiffany who was sitting cross-legged on the garden wall.

"Reading girly magazines and doing each other's nails, Ty, whaddya think?" Tiffany smiled deviously. "Leave us alone."

"Lena, I really don't—"

"Ty, please, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Lena said gently. Tyler stared at them. The two girls were like night and day, and not just because of the differences in their hair and complexion. Tiffany always had an attitude, was always barking orders and telling people off for no reason. She also wore all kinds of black clothes with chains and spikes. Lena was really a sweet girl, a little too caring and sympathetic for her own good, but always ready to help others. But the more she hung out with Tiffany the more she'd changed. He'd noticed her wearing darker clothes and her hair was always in disarray. From what he'd heard from Chris and Wyatt she had taken to mouthing off and rebelling against her parents. It just didn't make sense. She was raised in a relatively stable family that loved her and had been flourishing well until about two or three months ago.

"Don't do anything stupid, Kalos," Tyler ordered before orbing away.

"Ugh, what a sanctimonious pain-in-the-ass," Tiffany complained.

"He's a whitelighter, that's what they're supposed to be like," Lena pointed out, climbing up on the wall and sitting beside Tiffany.

"Whatever. My whitelighter only comes when called and leaves when I tell him to, you should get him assigned to you too," Tiffany suggested.

"I don't know, I like Tyler," Lena responded.

"Goody-goody," Tiffany sniped. "Come on, it's already two and we haven't even been down to the Underworld yet,"

* * *

Chris stood outside of Lena's door at the vineyard, ear pressed against the wood, listening for sounds from inside. Hearing nothing but muffled curses, Chris decided it was time to enter. He knocked twice just in case she wasn't decent, and then tossed the door open. Lena was sitting on the floor by her bed, a towel pressed against her right arm. The towel was slowly turning red and that alone had Chris stumbling to sit beside her. "Hey, what'd you do to your arm?" he asked, taking the towel from her to examine the injury. It was a deep stab wound and was bleeding profusely.

"It won't stop," she said, her eyes bright with tears and pain.

"Hey it's alright, let me call Wyatt and he'll—"

"No!" she cried out. "No… Tyler's on his way, he's just busy," she added.

"Lena sweetie what's going on with you?" Chris asked. And maybe questioning his cousin while she was bleeding out on the floor wasn't the smoothest tactic, but he had to know.

"I don't know," she said. "I just… I don't know," she reiterated, pressing harder on the wound and biting her lip to keep from crying out.

"You can tell me anything," Chris said firmly. "And no one will have to know besides me."

"I know, Chris," Lena said, tears trickling down her cheeks. She and Chris had always been each other's confidants. "I just can't share this with anybody."

"You can share it with Tiffany though?"

"No," Lena said with a laugh. "She's just a friend, you know, just someone to hang out with."

"She's trouble, Len," he pointed out.

"She gets me," Lena shot back. "She gets me like you and Wyatt and mom and dad and the aunts never have. And right now…. I need her, okay?"

"Lena whatever happened… why can't you just talk to somebody about it?"

"Cause it happened to me, okay? To me! And Tracey's dead, and Tiffany's the only friend I have anymore. 'Course that means she'll die soon, I don't have the best track record after all."

"That's not true," Chris said softly.

"You know it is. All of my friends die. And it's usually because of me too, isn't that the kicker? Why do I even bother, Chris?"

"With what, magic?"

"No magic is me, I need magic. I mean with people. If Tracey and I hadn't—then she would've never – and I just – I don't know what to do," she confessed.

"For starters you could stop being so damn stubborn and let Wyatt heal you," Chris suggested. At fourteen Lena was well on her way to becoming a woman – whatever that meant. And the older she became, the more difficult it was to figure out what to say to her. And damn if the girl didn't know exactly how to help everyone except herself. Her hair was straight today, and Chris felt sad to see it look like that. He liked Lena's hair fluffy and curly, bouncing when she walked and falling in her face. The straight hair just looked strange and flat, he figured it might just mirror how she felt at the moment.

She had disappeared three months ago, and for one terrifying week no one knew where she had been or what happened to her. Then Alec had returned with her safely ensconced in his arms. He said something about finding her in the clutches of a demon whose life goal was to destroy the Kalos family. The demon got away and Lena refused to speak about what had happened. She slept off the fatigue, but Chris could see that she never got rid of the fear. She was still jumpy and something had happened to make her feel weak and at risk. So, in true Lena-fashion she refused to let anyone help her, preferring instead to let it eat her from the inside out. She started hanging out with Tiffany and acted angry and rebellious all of the time. Wyatt was at his wit's end, completely fed up with Lena's behavior and had been unintentionally driving her farther away from them. Chris felt awkward to be in the middle between Wyatt and Lena, a spot she usually kept for herself. She had already successfully settled so many disputes between the two of them, and now it was up to Chris to take on her role.

"Fine, call him," Lena whispered; a small concession on her part. Maybe she was just too much in pain to care about who did the healing, or maybe she really wanted to fix things.

"Wyatt!" Chris called out, and immediately his brother appeared beside him. "Here, Lena hurt her arm."

Wyatt nodded, silently putting his hands over it and healing the wound. As he did it Wyatt kept his eyes averted from Lena's and wished that all wounds could be so easy to heal. "How'd this happen?" Wyatt asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"A couple demons, they're dead now though," Lena said with a touch of arrogance, but Chris could see that her jaw was still trembling.

"You were out demon hunting again? Haven't we told you how dangerous that is?!" Wyatt demanded.

"You hypocrite! You go all the time! You and Chris are always sneaking off, and now you're trying to lecture me about it?!" Lena shouted, pushing him away from her and standing. Her black slacks were trailing on the floor and the bottoms of them had that chewed look from being stepped on.

"Yeah well you're too young! You need people around to protect you! Didn't you learn anything from what happened in December?!" Wyatt shouted. Chris winced and Lena looked like she had been slapped. Her eyes seemed hollow and she glared at Wyatt with unrestrained malice. She didn't say anything, just went to her neck and unhooked the silver chain and locket that hung from it. The locket had been a gift from Wyatt for her fourteenth birthday and Lena loved it; she never took it off. Now she coldly removed it and threw the necklace at her cousin.

"Get out of my house," she ordered. Wyatt stood immobile until the necklace suddenly soared into his hand. Chris was just impressed that she could control her channeling when her emotions were so erratic. "Go!" she shouted. Wyatt stared at her as if he had never seen her before and then disappeared.

"Lena…" Chris began, walking towards her.

"Chris, don't," Lena said, turning away from him. He could see her shoulders shaking and knew she was seconds away from crying. There was no way he would leave her now. Carefully he placed his hands on her shoulders, and she stiffened against the touch. "Please don't touch me," she whispered, pushing his hands away. "Please just go." Not knowing what else to do, Chris could only obey her wishes.

* * *

"What are we going to do about Lena?" Wyatt asked of his younger brother. They were in the conservatory in the Manor, and Wyatt was slumped in a wicker chair, running his hands through his curly blonde hair.

"How about not yell at her?" Chris suggested, pacing in front of the stain-glassed window.

"Look – I didn't mean to, it just happened…" Wyatt responded apologetically.

"Well I doubt she sees it like that," he said with accusation.

Wyatt stared up at his younger brother. "Chris – I didn't mean it," he said, surprised that Chris seemed to be taking Lena's side on this. "But we can't just leave things as they are."

"I just don't know what's going on in her head," Chris said, sitting down on a chair across from Wyatt but not looking at his brother. "Something's driving her, but I just can't see what it is." Ever since Alec had brought her back three months ago she had been different – closed off and morose. Chris could see her pulling away from them, and it terrified him to think of losing her like that; losing her to her own depression and dark thoughts.

"If only one of us were the telepaths. Why hasn't Aunt Phoebe been able to figure this out?"

"You really think Lena would let her get a read on her?" Chris snorted. "She's a stronger telepath than her mother, there's no way Aunt Pheebs could get into her head unless she lets her."

"Well there's got to be something we can do," Wyatt exclaimed. Turning nineteen had not gifted Wyatt with any extra patience; he was still as rash as he had ever been, especially when it came to 'fixing' something that was hurting someone he loved. Lena always said it was because Wyatt was more sensitive than Chris. At which Chris would always respond that what she really meant was that Wyatt was a girl and was too nice to say it outright.

"We could try giving her some space, give her some time to realize she needs help. Something tells me this is all going to come to a head soon anyway."

"What, you're psychic now?" Wyatt asked with annoyance.

"No. But isn't that always how things work for her? Something's going to happen soon, and none of us are going to like it."

* * *

"Damn Lena, you really do have anger issues!" Tiffany laughed, slapping her on the back and smiling. "You toasted those demons like they were nothing!"

"Yeah well being a Halliwell-Kalos has it's privileges," Lena responded. But she didn't look happy.

"Lena girl, what's your story? You do such awesome stuff, and yet you never seem happy about it. You said you wanted to fight demons, but you don't look too excited."

"Sorry it's just… it's been a rough couple of months," Lena responded, looking away from Tiffany's intense gaze.

"What happened to you? Something bad, right? You can talk to me, you know," Tiffany said. Lena just stared at this usually brusque girl suddenly being gentle with her. "You're not like anyone I've ever known before. No one's ever offered to help me find them, everyone just blew me off and told me I was crazy, but you, you're different. So if you won't tell me what happened, then at least tell me why you're here," she said.

Lena's ears were rushing and she shut her eyes against the memory that seemed intent on replaying itself. But she shrugged it off, tried to appear nonplussed, when all she wanted to do was hide. "I'm here because I want to help people," she said, ignoring the first part of Tiffany's speech. "But I – I'm afraid I might make all this worse. My friends don't usually have a long life span."

"You might be the best friend I've ever had if you send me to them," Tiffany said roughly. They were out in the grape fields again, hanging out at the garden wall where no one in the manor house could see them; where they could feel completely alone and safe.

"What's the point anyway, Lena? What's the point of all the fighting? Nothing ever changes."

"It will someday. There are people out there right now getting ready for the end of the world, getting ready for the final showdown. Maybe after that everything will be better."

"No, it'll be just a different version of bad. There is no pretty, happy, good life, Lena. It doesn't exist. The war's never going to end. And people like my family, like me, like you, they'll just keep getting dragged down by it until they're gone, until they're dead.

"So maybe I should give up on this quest after all. I mean it's not going to change anything is it?"

"Maybe, maybe not. But maybe if you do finish it you'll finally be able to forget about everything that's happened," Lena whispered. "Maybe you can move on."

"Maybe," Tiffany shrugged. She lit up a cigarette and took a long drag, exhaling the smoke away from her friend. "Do you want to find the demon that hurt you, Lena?"

"No, no I don't," Lena immediately responded.

"Why?"

"I'm just… I'm not ready to face him. I'd lose, and I can't lose," she added. Her eyes were far away again, and Tiffany sort of inched closer to her, trying to provide comfort but knowing she was ill suited for it. She had always known who Lena Halliwell-Kalos was, had seen her in Magic School plenty of times. But when she found her sitting by herself in the corner of the classroom well after class had ended, just staring into space, Tiffany recognized some of herself in Lena. The girl had never looked so vulnerable before, so uncomfortable and scared, and Tiffany saw the girl she was before she built tough walls up around herself.

"If you wanted to fight him; I'd go with you," she promised. "I'd die right beside you if it came down to it. I don't have anything left to live for anyway."

She extinguished the cigarette and then turned to face the dark-haired witch. "Being a witch is weird, isn't it? You live life knowing that at any minute you could die, and yet you still don't live like you're going to die. We waste time, Lena. Witches are always trying to get what they can't ever have and ignoring the fact that their life is passing them by. I think witches have more regrets than anyone when it comes right down to it. We spend our whole lives pretending to be mortals, searching for _normal_ and then we die who we really are, witches. If your aunt, the one who died three years in to her destiny; if she knew she was going to die, I bet she would've tried to change things; would've gone on that vacation, had sex with that guy, been impulsive and reckless. But the truth is, just by being witches we have a death sentence hanging over us. It's like the story about the guy with the sword above his head, ready to fall at any moment, he's too nervous to do anything at all because he can't stop thinking about it. Fuck the sword Lena, it's going to fall someday, so stop thinking about it and start living like you don't care that it's there. Let's do something crazy for once, let's go steal something, do drugs, run screaming down the road, something, anything."

"Yeah let's go," Lena agreed.

* * *

Lena had never experienced a hangover before, but now she definitely understood why her parents were so cranky the day after banquets and weddings. She would call Tyler, he was bound to secrecy after all, but she knew whitelighters couldn't heal anything self-inflicted, and that included hangovers.

She was lying on the floor in Tiffany's bedroom, completely blank on how she had gotten there. A few feet away from her Tiffany was lying on her side, her mini skirt hiked up and rips in the striped tights she was wearing.

Tiffany's whitelighter was a no-questions asked sort of guy, he had orbed them to Ireland when she asked, and must've been responsible for orbing the drunken pair back. That was the only explanation for how they'd gotten there. They spent the whole night pub-hopping, getting drunk, and singing in the streets. It was bizarre, and the parts Lena could remember were fun, but there were blank spots in her memory, and that terrified her. They were so stupid, anything could've happened to them when they were trolling the streets, high as kites and out of control.

Lena put a hand to her pounding head, sitting up uncomfortably. Her own mini-skirt was dirty, looked like she had spilled some liquor on it the night before. She sighed when she saw that. It was her favorite skirt, red, black, and white plaid with pleats and rhinestones on it. She stumbled to her feet and walked towards the bathroom, trying not to trip over Tiffany or her blue rug. She reached the hall and used her hands to guide her down to the bathroom.

She was splashing cold water on her face and staring at the fading mascara marks on her cheeks when she heard someone moving around in the kitchen. Curious, she headed that way. Tiffany lived with her aunt, a woman who was almost always drunk or high, and really didn't care about what Tiffany did or where she was. She was hardly ever home, more likely than not hanging out with a new boyfriend, so the sound of sizzling eggs coming from the kitchen was hardly what Lena would expect to hear.

She reached the doorway and stopped short. Chris was standing at the stove, a frying pan on the burner and a spatula in his hand. "Hey Lena," he said, not even looking up. "I sure hope you had fun last night, because you could be paying for it all day kiddo," he added with a smirk.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Well how do you think you got here last night – or was it this morning? I don't know, the time difference is screwing me up," he said.

"I thought Dave—"

"Tiffany's whitelighter? Hah, he was probably glad to be rid of her. Aunt Phoebe called me, asking if I knew where you were. Finding you really wasn't that difficult. Apparently you strengthen telepathic ties when you're drunk. I could hear you projecting from across the ocean."

"Then why'd you bring me here?"

"Oh come on, your mom would go ballistic if she knew what you and rockstar-wannabe were up to last night. I told her that you were at a friend's house and would call her in the afternoon," he responded.

"Why would you do that?" she asked, completely at a loss as to why she hadn't been ratted out.

"Lena come on, we're cousins remember? Thick as thieves and whatnot. So you did something incredibly stupid and immature last night; it's not like I've never done anything like that before. Go wake up your friend, breakfast is almost ready."

"Chris I really don't think I can eat anything right now," she said, feeling sick to her stomach.

"That's why you're going to drink this first," he said, holding up a glass of bright green liquid. "It's my very own hangover cure potion. Works every time."

Inexplicably, Lena's eyes began to tear up. "Chris I…" she began, but cut off, overtaken by an urge to cry.

"Hey Lena, I'm always going to be there for you, okay?" he said, crossing the room and standing in front of her, holding her by the arms.

"Thank you, Chris," she said, some tears slipping down her cheeks. He put his arms around her, pulling her into a hug as she forced her tears to stop and choked down the lump in her throat.

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**A/N: Please let me know what you thought.**

**-A.C.E.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thanks to **lizardmomma** for the review! 

To all you lurkers out there, thank you for reading and I hope everyone enjoys chapter two.

Disclaimer: Refer to chapter one.

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**What Family's For**

By: Ada C. Eliana

Chapter 2

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"Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over." – Gloria Naylor

* * *

The hangover cure actually tasted good, Chris had put some mint into it and it left her feeling much better. Tiffany registered some gratitude on her face after she downed her dose, and was nicer to Chris than she had ever been before.

"You should have seen Lena in this one pub, she stood on the table and started singing Cher songs. It was so embarrassing," Tiffany laughed as she finished off a piece of bacon.

"Hey, at least I didn't do a striptease for the crowd like you did. I swear that one guy's eyes were going to pop out of their sockets if I hadn't stopped you mid-way through unbuttoning your shirt."

"What a pervert, he had to have known we were teenagers," Tiffany pointed out.

"It was fun Tiff, but I don't think I'll ever do that again," Lena said, running a hand through her hair. "But I should probably shower and get home before my mom kills me."

"Oh come on Lena, what happened to living like you're dying?" Tiffany protested as Lena stood up from the table.

"Well I will be dead if she finds out about this."

"Then you better tape angel-boy's mouth shut," Tiffany spat, glowering at Chris. "You're going to tell on her, aren't you?"

"It's none of your business either way, Tiffany. Come on Lena, I'll sneak you home, you can shower there. Your clothes smell like cigarettes and alcohol anyway."

* * *

"Chris tell me the truth, where was she really?" Phoebe demanded. Chris kept his mouth shut, sitting on a barstool in the kitchen of the vineyard house. "Chris, come on! I need to know what she's been up to."

"Sorry Aunt Pheebs, but Lena needs someone in her corner right now. I'm trying to help her but I need her to trust me," Chris responded. "And aren't you like a psychologist? Shouldn't you be able to figure out how to handle her?"

Phoebe laughed derisively, pushing a lock of dyed red hair out of her face. "Lena's a mystery, Chris. She goes against every textbook. I've never known how to get her to open up, or why she insists on withdrawing from everyone. Or why the hell she's chosen that Tiffany girl over her family."

"Tiffany's not that bad, she's just hurting too." Phoebe swung around to look at Chris, not believing her own ears. How could Chris be defending that disrespectful loudmouth that Lena insisted on being best friends with? "Her parents and little sister were murdered by demons a year ago, she refused to go to school anymore except Magic School. Her aunt doesn't give a damn about her and she really doesn't have anybody to be there for her. I feel bad for her really."

"So she decides to corrupt my daughter to make herself feel better? No, I don't care how terrible this girl's life is, my number one priority is Lena, and she is bad for Lena."

"What does Uncle Alec have to say about all of this?" Chris asked, leaning back in the chair.

"He knows more than he's saying. He was the one who found Lena after all. He's tried to talk to her but she just clams up, she won't let him help her. I'm at my wit's end now, Chris. I don't know what to do to help her, I've tried talking to her, leaving her alone, buying her things and spoiling her, yelling at her, nothing's helping."

"Some things just take time," Chris sighed.

"I know that, but, I can tell that she's slipping away from me, and I'm afraid that I'm going to lose her," Phoebe said, tears in her eyes. "She's hurting and I can't help her, and I hate it; I hate it."

* * *

"I found the demons," Tiffany said with no emotion in her voice. It was a late spring afternoon and Tiffany had asked Lena to meet her at a small teen hangout café in the city.

"Oh my God, you did?"

"Yeah. I guess I should go after them now, huh?" Tiffany said, keeping her gaze away from Lena's eyes.

"Only if you want to," Lena said uncertainly. Ever since she had met Tiffany she knew the girl's life goal was to vanquish the demons that killed her family, but it was risky and the demons were strong. Tiffany would probably die trying.

"I do," she said.

"We could bring my cousins too, I mean with Wyatt there we'd probably win."

Tiffany smiled at Lena briefly, but it was forced, and then she was staring at the table again. "I don't want them there, Lena. This is my fight, you know? You can come if you want, because you're my friend, and I could use the help but… but maybe you shouldn't come. It's going to be dangerous, and we might both die."

"Hey, I'm not going to let you do this alone, okay? I'm going with you. But first, we should stop by the Vault, make some potions or get some spells together, okay? We don't want to be unprepared."

"Yeah okay," Tiffany said, staring at Lena like she had never seen anything quite like her before.

"What's wrong?" Lena asked, reaching for her handbag and standing up.

"I just… I've never had a friend like you before," Tiffany smiled.

"Don't worry, I get that all the time," Lena laughed, brushing her hands against Tiffany's shoulder.

* * *

Wyatt sat at his desk, his laptop open in front of him, scanning webpages for news articles about the deaths of the family of Tiffany Isler. He finally found an article in the San Francisco Time's archives and brought it up. He winced when he saw the photos of the damaged house and the blood. Scrolling down he read the article, his eyes widening as he did.

"Chris!" he called. "Chris come here, it's an emergency!" He read the article again while he waited for his brother's arrival. "God Lena, what have you gotten yourself into this time?"

* * *

Tiffany led the way through the Underworld tunnels, Lena close on her heels. The pair were dressed in all-black, with sheaths of athames on their belts and potions safely stowed in their pockets.

"This way," Tiffany said quietly, leading Lena down a dark tunnel. In the distance they could hear demons muttering, and Lena's heart began to race, adrenaline pumping and her senses heightening as she prepared for a battle.

They entered the cave too loudly, and the two demons jumped up from where they had been devouring something that could barely pass for human now and stared at them. "Witches," one snarled, blood trailing from his mouth. He wiped it away and smiled at them. "And just in time for dinner."

"Oh really, what's on the menu?" Tiffany asked angrily. "And if you say me I swear to God I will rip your throat out."

The demons just looked puzzled by Tiffany's posturing, and leapt forward to attack. Lena struck first, fire shooting from her hands. It bounced off of the demon and she had to throw herself sideways to dodge the return shaft. The demons were invulnerable to all witch powers, so only hand-to-hand combat and the right combination of potions and spells could destroy them. Tiffany jumped forward, blocking a punch from one of the demons and countering with a kick.

Lena engaged the other in combat, drawing on her years of training. She was lithe and small compared to him, and managed to avoid his attacks because of that. She kicked him in the face and then was too slow to dodge a blow to her stomach. She folded in on herself, winded, and the demon took the opportunity to smash her on the back of her neck. Lena fell forward, her legs unable to hold her weight as the whole world swam. She was dimly aware of someone calling her name as the demon readied another blow. Her hand tightened around the hilt of an athame, and just as the demon was distracted by another presence, Lena turned and stabbed it into his chest.

His eyes bulged, and she saw what he was looking at, Tiffany had just stabbed him in the back, but received a blow herself. The handle of a dagger was protruding from her stomach. She was staring down at it dumbly, no blood flowing and not appearing to even feel it. "That's weird," she said, putting her hands on it, preparing to pull it out.

"Tiffany! What's going on?" Lena demanded.

"I'm not sure…" Tiffany muttered. Then a shadow fell over her as the other demon approached from behind.

"Tiff look out!" Lena cried. She turned and out of her hands flew a white energy ball. It made contact with the demon's head and burned right through him. His decapitated body fell lifelessly to the floor. "What the hell…?" Lena said, backing away from Tiffany.

"Lena what's going on? What did I just do?" Tiffany asked, her voice wavering.

"I don't know," Lena responded, getting over her fear of Tiffany and running forward to help her.

"How did we take them so easily? When he hit me it didn't even hurt… and now this dagger…"

Lena grasped the hilt and pulled it out. It came out clean, no blood on it. There was not even a mark on Tiffany or her clothes showing that she had been stabbed, no evidence. She stared at Tiffany in confusion, but Tiffany wasn't looking at her now, she was looking past her.

"Lena do you see that light?" she asked. Lena spun around but there was nothing there, no light, just a shadowed cave.

"Tiffany what's happening?" she questioned frantically.

Orbs twinkled behind her and she immediately sensed the arrival of Chris and Wyatt. "It's so bright…" Tiffany whispered, still staring at something only she could see. "There's someone there, Lena."

"What's happening to her?!" Lena demanded of Wyatt and Chris, Tiffany refused to look at her and she was scared.

"Lena, Tiffany… she's dead," Chris said gently.

"What?! No, no there was no blood! She's fine! Aren't you, Tiffany, you're fine!" Lena said frantically. Tiffany slipped out of her daze for a moment and focused on Lena's face, then looked at Chris and Wyatt.

"Tiffany died with her parents; killed by the demons. But she couldn't let go, she managed to remain on this plain, using her powers to create a corporeal form," Wyatt informed her, repeating the words the Elders had said to him.

"But we can all see her! Everyone can see her!"

"She's a very powerful witch Lena, or she was, she managed to keep up this appearance because she didn't really believe she was dead. Tell me this, in all the times you two have gone demon hunting, has she ever once been hurt?" Wyatt questioned.

"No, but that's just because she's good—"

"And what happened to this demon?" he asked, pointing to the headless figure.

"She used an energy ball," Lena said.

"No honey, it wasn't an energy ball, that wouldn't have been able to vanquish this demon; it had to have been a plasma ball. Only ghosts can manipulate plasma," Chris explained gently.

"I don't understand, you're saying she's been dead all this time?" Lena asked in disbelief. "That I've been friends with a ghost?"

"I just wanted to finish it," Tiffany suddenly said. "I just wanted revenge for my family. But then I couldn't remember what I'd been doing, where I'd been at the time. It really is true isn't it?"

"It is," Chris affirmed.

"But now that it's finished you can move on," Wyatt told her.

"That's what the light is," Tiffany affirmed. She turned to Lena, her eyes tearing. "I'm sorry Lena, I just didn't know, I couldn't accept it. You're still the best friend I ever had."

"Tiffany no, you can't leave me, please."

"I should've been gone a long time ago. They're calling out to me."

"No, you were going to help me find that demon, remember? I need your help."

"No you don't. You have your family, Len, they're all you need.

"The angel's here for me, I have to go," Tiffany whispered. She approached Lena and held the live girl in her arms tightly. "I love you, Lena. Because of you – I lived more when I was dead than I did when I was alive. Remember what I said okay?"

"I will."

"Goodbye," Tiffany said, addressing the whole group. "Take care of each other. Family's important," she added before sighing and walking away, her body taking on a glowing appearance before it disappeared altogether.

Lena stared at the place where her friend had been, wanting more than anything for her to reappear. "Tiffany…" she said, her voice breaking on the name. Wyatt made to approach her but she held a hand out to stop him.

"Chris, take me home," she said.

"At least let me heal you first," Wyatt said with irritation. Lena nodded and stood still while his hands hovered over her and the pain in her head subsided but the one in her chest stubbornly remained. Then Chris was beside her, his hand on her shoulder and the two orbed away.

* * *

Lena walked up the steps to Tiffany's house – no, not Tiffany's house, Tiffany never lived here, Tiffany died with her parents – and knocked lightly on the door she had gone in and out of so many times in the past three months. A woman pulled the door open, Tiffany's aunt Karen. She seemed unusually sober, and Lena couldn't help but wonder if she had started drinking because a ghost had moved into her house and stayed. She glanced at Lena, her dark hair hanging limply on her head before backing up and motioning for her to enter. Once the door was firmly shut behind her she finally spoke, "So she moved on then?" she asked, sounding sure.

"Yeah she did," Lena responded, her eyes filling with tears again. She brushed them away quickly, not wanting to cry in front of a stranger. "So you knew?"

"How could I not know? I'm the one who identified the bodies – or what was left of them," she chewed on her lip nervously before sitting on a tattered blue couch. "And then she was there, she was at the cemetery after the funeral and she moved into my house with me. I had no idea what to do. I tried spells on her, tried everything I could think of but she was adamant that she was alive, that the only thing she wanted was revenge for her family. I didn't know what to do anymore."

"Is that why you were never around?" Lena asked carefully.

"Yes. I couldn't stand having her around anymore, it hurt too much. I had lost everyone – my sister and her family, they were all I had left. And to have Tiffany still around – I wanted to enjoy it, I wanted to pretend like she wasn't dead, but I couldn't, and I just… I didn't know what to do. I knew she was going to move on eventually, and so if I pretended she was really her; really alive then it would be like her dying twice." Karen swiped at the tears that fell stubbornly down her face. "And then you started showing up and I just knew I had to get away. Because how could I see you come here everyday and become friends with Tiffany without telling you the truth?" Karen asked, rubbing at her eyes.

"How could you not tell me?! I spent the last three months with a ghost! She wasn't real and now I've lost her!" Lena shouted, pacing in the corner of the room.

"Because the Elders told me not to!" Karen shouted back. "My whitelighter, the same one as Tiffany – he went to the Elders for me, asked them what to do about her. They said that she would come into contact with a young witch who would help her move on. And then you showed up, a Halliwell and a Kalos for God's sake, and I just knew you were the one who was supposed to help her. I'm sorry, but this was the way it was supposed to be."

Lena said nothing, just crossed the room and walked out, the door shutting loudly behind her.

* * *

"But she went to Magic School every month! How did you not know she was dead?!" Phoebe demanded angrily of her younger sister. Chris and Wyatt had filled her in on the situation with Tiffany and she was angry, so angry that someone had messed with her little girl's life and emotions that way.

"I don't know – no one ever told me and she… she looked so real," Paige said, still in disbelief about the whole situation. The family had gathered at Phoebe's house, and was in the parlor, anxiously waiting for Lena to come home. After Chris dropped her off she had left, not telling anyone where she had gone and putting up her strongest mental shields to keep them away.

Leo had filled them in on the Elders' plan to use Lena to help Tiffany gain the closure she needed; to allow Tiffany's spirit to move on. And while they could understand it, no one was happy about the situation.

"Now Lena's lost two friends in under three months. How's she supposed to deal with this?" Phoebe asked. "I can't even imagine going through that at her age. What if she never comes home?"

"We could always summon her," Wyatt suggested.

Chris shook his head vigorously. "No, we have to wait for her to come to us. Lena can get through this, but we can't push her.

* * *

Someone orbed in behind her, and she couldn't help but smile slightly. Even if she had been sitting, talking, and crying in front of this headstone for over an hour, it's nice to know there are still things she can count on.

"I knew you'd come," she said without turning around. Warm male arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind.

"You never could keep me out," he sighed. "So, what're you doing here?"

"Just trying to figure things out I guess. I can't believe she's really dead, Chris. I only knew a ghost."

"Lena… before she… moved on, she said something to you, asked you to remember what she said. Can you tell me what she said to you?"

Lena turned a tear-streaked face towards Chris. "She said that we should live like we know we're going to die and don't care; that witches waste too much time trying to be normal instead of enjoying who they are. She wanted me to live like I was dying," she added. "That's what the drinking trip to Ireland was about, and the shopping in Tokyo. And maybe she was right." Lena kneeled in front of the grave, running her fingers over Tiffany's name carved into the stone. "The demons and the fighting, they're going to be a big part of my life forever. I've been stuck between that and what my mother wants from me – straight A's and high school sports. Maybe I should just focus on what's really me."

"You can have both," Chris said softly, kneeling beside her.

"Or I could become stronger, accept the danger and stop being so afraid all the time."

"So you mean to tell me that because you're afraid you've put yourself into even more danger than before?" Chris asked, chuckling lightly. No wonder his aunt couldn't figure Lena out.

"I just wanted to regain some sort of control. When I was trapped down there… I couldn't control anything around me, and it was terrifying. I guess it was reckless though, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, you nearly gave Wyatt a heart attack. And I think another thing you can learn from Tiffany is that you don't need to do everything alone. I mean look at her, spending all this time trying to find the demons that killed her family, and at the last minute she let you in to help. You can accept help too, Lena."

"There are some things I'll never be able to tell you, Chris," Lena whispered so quietly Chris almost didn't hear her. "Some things I just need to keep to myself. But you're right, I do need to let other people help me. So Chris, can you help me?" she asked, her voice wavering. She turned to him and she was crying in earnest now. He held out his arms and she crawled towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and sobbing into his shoulder. But even as he held her he knew that whatever she was going through wasn't even close to over.

* * *

**A/N: Please let me know what you thought. There's more to come, btw.**

**Thanks for reading,**

**_A.C.E._**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you lizardmomma for the review!**

**Please read and review!**

**Disclaimer: Refer to previous chapter.**

* * *

**What Family's For**

By: Ada C. Eliana

Chapter 3

* * *

_It's gonna take a long time to love  
It's gonna take a lot to hold on  
It's gonna be a long way to happy, yeah  
Left in the pieces that you broke me into  
Torn apart but now I've got to  
Keep on rolling like a stone  
Cause it's gonna be a long long way to happy_

_- "Long Way to Happy" Pink_

* * *

6 months later

"Lena, there's a girl here I want you to meet," Paige said nervously. "Her family was wiped out by a demon, and she was imprisoned somewhere in the Underworld for three years. Some other witches found her while on a raid and brought her here, she wouldn't speak to anybody, but I was hoping maybe…"

"Yeah I'll try," Lena responded simply, pushing a curly lock of hair out of her face and walking down the grand hallway of Magic School towards the classroom Paige had exited. The aunt watched her niece leave, and couldn't help but shudder as she thought of the girl in the room, and remembered Lena's hollow eyes when Alec had rescued her all that time ago. If anyone could get through to the girl it would have to be her.

* * *

Lena stared at the teen sitting across from her, more than two years younger than Lena, she was skinny, and malnourished with dull red hair that was fluffy as if washed recently and she was wearing a simple pair of pants that were too big for her with a large tee shirt. She had already gleaned from the thoughts of those around that the witches who found her had cajoled the girl into taking a bath and then they provided her with clothes. But the girl herself was stubbornly silent, no one even knew her name.

"Hi, I'm Lena," she said, trying to evoke the girl's attention. Her head was hanging, eyes staring at the floor. "My aunt – Paige Matthews sent me in to talk to you, I guess she thought that maybe I could help. But I guess she doesn't realize that talking isn't always what people want to do after they've been through something," Lena sighed, standing and turning away from the girl. "You don't want to talk, do you?" Lena asked, spinning to face her.

She shook her head but still did not look up, thin arms hugging her shoulders.

"Will you at least tell me your name?" she asked, kneeling in front of her and trying to see her eyes. She turned away and shook her head vigorously. "Okay, that's fine.

"Magic School is so stuffy. Do you want to get out of here? Go somewhere else? I know a really pretty place."

The girl's head shot up and in her blue eyes Lena read a hunger for escape. Lena probed gently at the girl's mind and found that she would much rather leave with Lena than have to stay and be questioned by the various adults at the school. "You want to?" Lena pressed. The girl nodded. "Okay, come on." She reached her hand out, and the girl stared at it as if it were going to slap her. Lena sent her a shaft of trustworthiness and the girl took it.

* * *

"Lena, what's going on?" Paige asked as Lena rushed by her, the girl's hand firmly in hers.

"I'm taking her somewhere else to talk," Lena explained quickly. The girl becoming more agitated the longer Paige imposed her presence.

"Lena I didn't tell you to do that! We need to keep her here!"

Lena stopped short, allowing the girl to cower behind her legs. "You asked me to help, and I can't help her here. Just trust me on this, okay?" she requested. Paige stared at her for a moment before hesitantly nodding.

"Fine just… don't do anything stupid. And don't block!" she added as Lena began walking again.

* * *

The girl moved around trying to get comfortable on the brick garden wall. Lena sat beside, her legs swinging and kicking at the wall. She pulled a ripe grape off the vine beside her and gave it to the girl. "It's a little bitter since it's for wine, but it's still good."

The girl accepted it, chewing it slowly and refusing to make eye contact with Lena. Lena plucked another and chewed on it. "You know, when I was around your age, I had this friend named Tracey," she began. A quick probe showed that the girl was listening to her. "She got it in her head that the two of us should go demon hunting in the underworld alone. We made transporter potion and went down without telling anyone. I don't know what I was expecting. I was only fourteen, had just started high school and all. I thought I was so mature and that I knew better. But to make a long story short, the fighting went wrong; Tracey was killed, and I was abducted my demon traders to be sold off to the highest bidder."

The girl looked up abruptly, her blue eyes staring straight into Lena's as if boring into her soul. Lena waited but she didn't say anything, so she continued. "I ended up being 'bought' by a demon named Frayne. But then a different demon vanquished him and took me with him, his name was Acacallis."

She made a low whining sound in her throat and Lena spun quickly to face her. "Do you know who he is?" she asked. The girl nodded. "Was he the one who trapped you?" she shook her head. Lena let out a sigh at relief at that, unsure of what experiences this girl had been forced to endure, but glad it hadn't been at the sadistic hands of Acacallis.

"I'm not telling you this so you'll feel sorry for me or anything; I'm sure what happened to you was worse, but I just want you to know that I understand to some extent what it's like to be trapped down there, to be helpless and at the mercy of creatures who are your natural enemy and who would never help you. You can talk to me if you want, about anything. At this point I would be happy just to hear your name."

The girl seemed to ponder this for a moment, looking into Lena's eyes as if searching for a sign that she could trust her.

"Tara," she said her voice hoarse and unused.

"Nice to meet you, Tara," Lena said quietly. The girl turned away from her, staring at the flip-flops that were a little big for her feet. "Let's get you some better clothes," Lena decided, helping her off the wall and leading her into the main house.

* * *

She let Tara go through her boxes of old clothes and pick out her own outfit. She eventually settled on a pair of faded jeans with gold sequins on the seams and an aquamarine sweater. Then she made her lunch and was now sitting at the kitchen table watching the teen pick at a turkey sandwich. There were so many things she wanted to ask Tara, so many things she wanted to know. What was her last name? Who were her family? How did she get captured? Who kept her in the Underworld? What happened to her in that time? What were her powers? But the girl had barely given Lena her name, she doubted she could get much more from her at the moment. She would have to be patient.

Orbs dancing in her line of vision distracted her from her thoughts and she noted the blue hue that meant Chris was about to form. Tara spun around as he appeared and seemed to shrink in her chair. "It's okay, Tara. This is my cousin Chris," Lena reassured her, quick to use her empathic power to help calm her.

"Lena, I need to talk to you," Chris said quietly, gesturing into the other room. Lena nodded, speaking low to Tara and then following him out. She kept a mental probe out just in case the girl decided to bolt.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I heard about the mystery witch from Aunt Paige, but what are you doing bringing her home?" he asked.

"Chris she's been traumatized; being interrogated at Magic School – no matter how well-meaning it might be – is just not the right way to go. I figured between me and mom we should probably be able to help her at least a little."

"You have no idea who she really is, Lena. This could be a trick or something," Chris pointed out. He hated to do it when Lena seemed so set on helping her, but he knew how often Lena built herself up just to take an agonizing fall.

"Chris, she was able to get into Magic School, I'm sure she's not a demon," Lena said.

"Yeah well I worry about you, it's my job."

"Your job? And does that job have a title?"

"Yes – older cousin. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Chris I appreciate the concern, but I can take care of myself, okay? And tell Aunt Paige to not worry about it."

* * *

Tara spent the next week at the vineyard, but did not say anything. Phoebe and Lena tried their best to get her to open up but the girl remained stubbornly silent, unwilling to speak. She shrank away from men, so the pair did their best to keep her away from Alec, and Chris and Wyatt who made frequent visits.

On the fifth day, Lena walked into the guest room where Tara had been staying to see the girl looking at the floor, a dejected expression on her face.

"You're… Lena… Lena Kalos… Lena Halliwell… you, right?" she said, searching for the words she wanted to use as if she had forgotten how to string together sentences.

"Yeah that's me," she replied, sitting beside Tara and waiting with bated breath for her to speak again.

"I saw you," she said, her voice hoarse from not being used.

"What do you mean?"

"The demon who… he was Saarn, the man who sold the witches."

"Saarn?" Lena replied, remembering a black robe and a toothy smile.

"I told him… told him how to find you…"

Lena's mouth dropped open slightly and she was seconds away from a 'Chris was right… again!' but she stopped herself, needing to know the full story. "What did you do?" she asked, keeping her voice even.

"I can sense other witches… depending on how strong they are it's more powerful… and you were really strong… Saarn… made me find more witches for him, and when you and… that other girl… were fighting I sensed you. I told him to go find you. He never would have known where you were… And then I saw you at the auction… I… I…" her voice broke and she buried her head in her hands.

Lena for her part stood silently and still in front of her. She always wondered how the demon had found her so quickly; too quickly for a member of her family to sense she was in trouble and intervene, and now she knew. It was this girl in front of her; she was the reason Saarn had found her, the reason Acacallis had captured her. All of the horror and the pain of that week, and the fear that had taken up residence and never really left was because of this girl. And while she knew it really wasn't Tara's fault; she was at Saarn's mercy after all, she couldn't bring herself to move.

Tara began to cry and still Lena stood still as a statue, the feelings from that week washing over her, and her lower lip trembling as she tried uselessly to force the memories away.

"I don't… I didn't… I didn't want to help… but I thought… I mean… I had to… didn't I?" Tara mumbled, looking up at Lena with hope clear in her eyes.

"Why did you tell me?" Lena finally said. "Why tell me now? What difference does it make?!"

"Lena I… I just… you've been so nice to me… and what you said… last week… and I… I had to tell you…"

She could feel his hands on her arms just as they had been those long years ago, and his breath was warm against her ear as she stood frozen in the bedroom. Her vision tunneled and she heard him whispering and laughing, and her stomach dropped and her legs began to shake. She tried to breathe but it was becoming harder, and she forgot what happened next, forgot that her father had shown up just in time to save her; forgot about everything as her knees buckled. And in her mind his hands were all over her, and his whispered promise was repeated again and again.

* * *

She was breathing easier when she opened her eyes, her panic attack receding. Someone's arms were around her, holding her close and tenderly. She picked up on the mental signature immediately and her body relaxed slightly.

"Lena, hey, you okay?" Chris asked, moving away from her slightly so he could look at her face.

"Yeah… yeah I think so. What happened?" she asked, allowing herself to indulge in being held by him and not pulling away.

"I think you had a panic attack. I orbed in just in time to see you collapse in the guest room. What set it off?"

"Tara… she was kidnapped by the demon who had a hand in what happened to me two years ago. He only found me because she told him where to look. Without her none of it would have happened…"

"But Len… it wasn't really her fault, was it?" Chris pressed, his green eyes filled with concern. "Did she really have a choice?"

"I don't know… maybe not… but… how could she sell me out like that… how many other witches did she lead him to? God, Chris, you were right, every time I try and help someone I just end up hurting myself. I should just give up on people altogether."

"Lena, hey, don't say that. Your propensity for compassion is one of the things that makes you who you are. Don't let things like this jade you, don't let it tear you down."

"What am I supposed to do, Chris? I thought I was over what happened, and now it's like I'm back there again." Lena pushed away from him and stood, pacing.

"Well you could try talking to someone about it!" Chris suggested with irritation. "You keep insisting you can handle this yourself and yet you haven't been able to! You need help, Lena, admit it! Just tell me what happened! Tell me so I can help you!" Chris shouted, rising to his feet.

"He wanted to make a baby, alright! Is that what you want to know, Chris?!" she shouted, throwing her hands in the air in fury and keeping an arm's-length away from her cousin.

Chris stopped in his tracks, staring at Lena blankly, unsure of what to say. "He… did he…" he stuttered.

"No. **No**," Lena responded firmly. "God no. Dad got there just in time, but it was so close… it could've… it would've happened if he hadn't… They had put some sort of neural inhibitor on my head, I couldn't use my mental powers, and my hands were behind my back and encased in something – I couldn't move them and I couldn't use the elements. I couldn't defend myself at all. I was starving and I was dirty and I was scared." She turned away from Chris, facing the wall as she spoke. "I didn't know what was going to happen to me – well he gave a pretty clear picture, but… I was just so scared."

"Did he…" Chris began, swallowing hard before continuing. "Did he tell you why?"

"The Kalos were his natural enemies, and he decided the ultimate revenge would be to sire the next generation of the Kalos family, and make them all demons; ruin the family line forever. And Dad didn't vanquish him, he could come back at any time."

"God Lena, I'm so sorry, I had no idea."

"And that – that has to be worse than death, right? Because I'm never been as afraid of dying as I was – am – afraid of that," she said, her voice choked and tears running down her face. Chris put his arms around her, her head leaning against his neck.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I don't know what to say except that I will do everything in my power to protect you."

"You can't promise me that he'll never be back; you can't promise me that something even worse won't happen. You can't promise me anything," Lena said. "You can't promise me that another Tara won't betray me, you can't promise anything."

"You can't spend your whole life looking over your shoulder, Lena. A thousand other things could happen just as easily as him coming back. It's going to kill you if you keep worrying about it. I mean look, it's been three years and nothing."

"Maybe he just wants to make me worry; wants to make me sweat over it."

"Lena, come on, you can't keep thinking like that – it'll kill you, and you know it. Let me help, maybe I can find something that'll make it easier to vanquish him or protect you."

"Don't you think I've looked? There are no spells, no potions, nothing. The only witch ever recorded to destroy one of those demons is my dad, and that was just a lucky break. Why do you think I stepped up my training regimen the last two years, why do you think I've gone to Magic School every single chance I got?"

"That's no way to live, Lena," Chris whispered, shaking his head. He couldn't believe he had missed this, that for two years Lena had been in the process of destroying herself and he had barely even noticed.

"So what do you want to me do? Ignore it, pretend I don't know that he's coming and just go out and have fun – so that when he does come I'm completely unprepared?"

"No, I think you should learn to enjoy your life, and still keep in shape. We train so much together, I never imagined you were doing extra. That's just ridiculous. You just need to trust in yourself, and me and Wyatt, and our powers together, that we can accomplish anything," Chris said.

Lena turned to face him, emotionally and mentally exhausted. She probed his mind lightly, needing to know if he was telling her the truth or if he was lying. She could sense him letting her in and she saw all she needed to know. And what she felt was a fervent desire to help her, and look after her, to prevent any harm from coming to her even if it meant losing his life. It was a desire she recognized, because she felt the same way about him and Wyatt.

And in that moment she realized what her mistake had been from the beginning, it had been in trying to take care of this herself, to put all of the pressure on her. The Halliwells and the Kaloses had a long history of teamwork, of family, and their powers always made each other stronger. She thought that because he had targeted her alone it was her problem, but how could that be when they were supposed to be a trio – the power of three – what hurt one of them would always hurt the others.

"You're right, Chris. I'm sorry," Lena said, burying her head in his shoulder.

"Don't be sorry, Len, you have nothing to be sorry for," he whispered into her hair, rubbing her back.

The moment was interrupted by a blur of orb lights that coalesced into Wyatt's impatient form. "Okay Lena, I get that you needed space or whatever, but I can't take this anymore, you have to let me help!" he announced even as his body was reforming.

Lena turned a tear-streaked face to Wyatt and crossed the room towards him in three quick strides. She put her arms around him and held him close. He looked at his brother in confusion and Chris just smiled and nodded at him, as if to communicate that he had taken care of the problem. Wyatt held on to Lena, relieved that maybe this meant the three of them were back on even footing; that they were a team again for the first time in over a year.

* * *

**A/N: One chapter to go!**

**Please review!**

**-Ada**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Okay so I lied and there are only four chapters. Here's the final installment, please read and review!**

**Disclaimer: Refer to previous chapter.**

* * *

**What Family's For**

By: Ada C. Eliana

Chapter 4

* * *

"What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories." – George Eliot

* * *

Lena stood on the sidewalk, a silent spectator amidst the Halliwell and Kalos clan, watching Karen hug Tara and carry the small duffle with Tara's meager possessions inside the house. Karen waved at Lena, but she remained still as the door closed behind them. If she closed her eyes then she could imagine Tiffany opening that door and giving her a half-smile and saying something sarcastic before letting her in. But Tiffany was gone, and had been for a long time. 

Lena hoped she had done the right thing by suggesting that maybe Karen could take Tara in, because hadn't Karen told her just a year ago that she'd lost everyone she had? And Tara was an orphan with no close relatives. Paige's husband Mark arranged the guardianship papers after both parties agreed to try it out, and the Halliwells held a goodbye party for Tara.

The day after her panic attack Lena and Tara talked to each other, and Lena made sure the girl knew that she did not, and would never blame her for what happened. Tara spoke more after that, and she confessed to Lena the other things she had done while with Saarn; terrible secrets Lena would take to her grave.

Tara slowly became more comfortable around men, allowing Chris and Wyatt to visit with her and help her socialize some more. She still had a long way to go, but she was determined to try.

Two months after her rescue Lena arranged a meeting between Karen and Tara, and the pair seemed to take to each other immediately. Karen's face had shown of the utmost gratitude when Paige asked if she would like to take the girl in, and Lena had to look away when Karen thanked her over and over. Even though legally, Karen would be Tara's family now, the girl assured Lena that she would always hold a place in her heart for her 'older sister.'

She couldn't help but wonder if she had been used by the Elders again however. After all, she had been led to Karen because of Tiffany, to make Tiffany's spirit move on, and now she had been led to Tara in a different fashion, and had brought the two together. But thinking that way would never get her anywhere.

"Come on, Lena," Chris whispered, pulling gently on her arm and leading her away from the house. The minds inside the building were light and filled with joy, and so Lena let herself be led away.

* * *

As for Wyatt, Chris, and Lena, they were getting along much better. 

"So Wyatt, just how far did your jaw drop when you realized your date, 'Carey' was really 'Gary'?" Lena smirked.

"Lena, you wound me, why do you always say these things?" Wyatt asked, a hand to his heart. "But let me tell you, Gary looked pretty good in a red dress, if he hadn't spoken, I never would've figured it out."

"Aw, then Chris would've had a brother-in-law!" Lena pointed out with a smile.

"At this point I wouldn't be surprised, few women seem interested in Wyatt you know," Chris said with an elongated sigh of disappointment.

"Really now, I expect this behavior from _her_, not from you. Do you forget that I live in the same house as you? That I could orb you into a bog while you're sleeping?" Wyatt asked.

"Do _you_ forget that I'm the _baby brother_ so you have to be nice to me or Mom's going to put you on cleaning duty for the rest of your natural-born life?" Chris laughed.

Lena laughed at that one and then stretched out on the blanket the three were sitting on. She stared around them, enjoying the scenery. "I've never been to Morocco before," she said over the sounds of the crashing waves. "But I've gotta say, it's a nice place."

Wyatt stared around at the deserted beach and the sinking sun and had to agree with her. "Hey Lena, it's getting cold, want to get that fire started?" he asked.

"Sure," Lena responded, sending a burst of flame from her hand into the wood-filled pit. The flames caught immediately and the fire burned hot and tall next to them.

"It's not cold yet, you big baby," Chris muttered, sliding back from the heat of the fire.

"Hey Chris, pass me an orange soda," Lena requested. Chris lifted his hand and the bottle floated over to her dodging from her grasp a couple of times.

"Now see Lena, what you've missed recently as you've been fighting the good fight and whatnot is that Wyatt is now entertaining not-so-secret aspirations of becoming a racecar driver," Chris announced. Wyatt smacked him lightly in response.

"What?!" Lena laughed. "Are you serious?" She crawled over to where Chris was lying on his back so she could look at his face.

"It was just a thought…" Wyatt mumbled.

"But you can barely drive as it is Mr. Always-Distracted!" Lena pointed out.

"Yeah, but how could I get distracted on a racetrack?"

"He just thinks he could get more action from the various females who attend such events," Chris said.

"Yeah but with all the girls flashing the drivers and his good vision he would get distracted. Well… at least he could orb out of the wrecks to keep from breaking his skull open or worse…."

"…getting his face bashed in so he won't even have his pretty looks anymore…"

"…the only attractive quality to him, aside from..."

"…his 'sensitivity' – aka 'girliness' – which some women find attractive for reasons that elude me to this day."

"It is a mystery."

"Oh yeah, well what about you Mr. Apathy," Wyatt turned to Chris. "Girls think you're 'mysterious' before they realize that's just code for 'jerk'," Wyatt sniped.

"Did you just call me a 'jerk'?" Chris asked, laughing. "What's next – 'butthead' or 'stupid face'? How old are you anyway, ten?" Lena joined in the laughing and Wyatt turned his joking to her.

"Yeah well who'd want to date you? You know guys are intimidated by girls who can kick their ass."

"Who wants pansies like them anyway?" Lena said carelessly. "I mean really, wimpy guys are so annoying – take Wyatt for example," Lena laughed. Chris chuckled at Wyatt's annoyed expression.

"Damn you two, you always turn everything back on me!" Wyatt cried in defeat, slumping back on the blanket.

"We're all out of soda, I'm gonna go back home and grab some. Anyone want anything else?" Chris asked, standing and reaching for the cooler.

"Get me some fritos," Lena requested. Chris nodded, and then glanced in Wyatt's direction; holding his gaze for a moment. The oldest of the three mouthed a silent 'thank you' in his brother's direction and Chris could only smile and disappear.

"For what it's worth, you're not a wimp," Lena said quietly, staring out at the deserted beach.

"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself," Wyatt responded. "Lena…" Wyatt began, turning to face her. He climbed around so he was seated directly in her line of vision. "I'm just… I'm sorry, you know, about everything, about how I've acted and how I've handled things this past year. I just… I thought I was helping, but I know now that everything I did was wrong, and I'm really sorry."

"I'm sorry too Wyatt. I guess I just forgot what family's all about," Lena sighed.

"Love and compassion?"

"No, people to dump all your problems on," she said with a smile.

"I've missed this," Wyatt sighed.

"Missed what?"

"What it feels like when we're all getting along. I missed you, Lena. I just want everything to be right again."

"It will be, Wyatt. I'm not sure when exactly, but it will be," she said with a sigh, turning her body so she could lean against his shoulders.

"Hey, I have something for you," he said reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a long silver chain, and at the end dangled a shiny locket. He held it out to her expectantly and she stared at it in surprise.

"Last time I saw this I was chucking it at you and telling you to get out," Lena said softly as she took it from him, shining it with her thumb and staring at it.

"Not exactly our best moment," Wyatt said.

She opened the locket and found a photo of the three of them together in it. It was outdated, from before everything happened, and it held a piece of the past that they could never recover. It made her sad for a moment as she stared at the smiling faces, and thought on how many times like this they had missed out on because of her own stubbornness. "I love you, Wyatt," she whispered thickly.

"I love you too, kiddo," Wyatt said, ruffling her hair and putting his arm around her. "Here let me help you," he added, clasping the locket around her neck.

At that moment Chris appeared again, a full cooler in one hand and a bag of snacks in the other. "Oh God," he said as soon as he arrived.

"What?" Wyatt asked.

"You're both teary-eyed. Thank God I missed whatever 'moment' you two just shared," he laughed. "Couple of prepubescent girls, the two of you," he sighed as he sat down beside them.

"Oh you know you're sensitive on the inside," Lena joked, throwing her arms around him. "Get him from the other side, Wyatt!"

"I'll just orb out!" Chris pointed out.

"Nooo!" Lena cried. Wyatt leapt on his brother's left side, hugging him uncomfortably tight. "I looooooooooove you!" Lena shouted into Chris' ear.

"And I love you little brother!"

"Yeah well I can't stand the sight of either of you."

"Then why haven't you orbed yet?" Wyatt asked.

"I refuse to give you the satisfaction."

"You old softy," Lena laughed.

"I'm not old, Wyatt's old."

"I am not."

"Yeah you are. I swore I saw a gray hair on you the other day. And you do realize that in like ten years you're going to be older than Dad, right?"

"Eww."

"Yeah."

As the boys argued, Lena saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned from where she was still hanging on to Chris to see two figures smiling down at them. She froze for a moment, eyes welling with tears, because there stood Tracey and Tiffany, side-by-side and smiling. They waved at her and then they were gone, and Lena felt a lightness fill her heart. Beside her Wyatt and Chris bickered on, and she would soon join in, but for the moment she just wanted to hold the image of two of her lost friends standing together and never let it go. And she remembered Tiffany's last words to her, and Tracey's love of life, and knew she would try her best to make them proud of her.

"But at least I'm pretty," Wyatt said defensively, bringing Lena back to the present, back to where she belonged.

"Yeah – like a girl maybe."

"Handsome then."

"In your dreams."

"You two and the fighting," Lena chided.

"What was that, Greek-girl?" Chris asked.

"Badass demon hunter wannabe!" Wyatt shouted at her.

"Best daydreamer in the class!"

"Voted most likely to be on Cops – exposing magic to the world."

"Short stuff."

"Puffy hair."

"Knock it off goldilocks and rat-nest hair!"

"You knock it off!"

"Yeah you!"

"Um… why are we still hugging?"

"Loooooooooooooooooooooove!"

The cousins continued to bicker into the early morning hours, and finally everything seemed to be exactly as it should be.

* * *

**A/N: I would love to know what you thought!**

**Thanks for reading,**

**Ada**


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